A New Look at the "Thronfolgerprägungen" of the Sasanian King Ardashir I: Goodbye to Shapur I, Welcome to Ardashir Sakanshah

The present paper discusses a rare coin type of the first Sasanian ruler, Ardashir I, which has long been believed to depict, and maybe even name, the future king Shapur I alongside his father. The analysis of several silver drachms shows that the right-hand part of the obverse legend names an Ardashir who is given the title sk̀ n MRKA, i.e. Ardashir Sakanshah. This man is known also from Shapur I's inscription on the Kaaba-i Zardusht. The coins discussed here are the first to depict a local ruler together with the king of kings in Sasanian Iran.